Lorraine Court, in 1938 and 2011

“Thoroughly modern and up-to-date apartment house in suites of 3 rooms with bath, completely furnished; reservations can be made after Monday. References required.” – so ran the For Rent ad in the Seattle Times of 1907 for the newly-completed Lorraine Court apartment building – today known as the Winston Building (also known as the Mandalay and the Elysium at various times in the interim).

The original owner of the building was an Alfred M Birkel, who immigrated from Germany to Kansas at the age of 16 to take up farming. He and his wife arrived in Seattle (via Chicago) just in time for the Great Fire of 1889, and became involved in the hotel and residential property business. The architects for this building appear to be Carl Breitung & Theobald Buchinger, from Munich and Vienna respectively, who are also responsible for Holy Names Academy, also on the hill, and Good Shepherd Center in Wallingford.

The corner of this building was originally home to a grocery store, and changed tenants over the years; 1985 it was home to the Sundance Tavern, when a group of five women, who were scouting locations for a new lesbian bar, fell in love with the location, and the rest is history. 26 years later, the Wildrose is still going strong. (Not the oldest still-running gay bar on the hill, however – that distinction appears to goes to The Crescent on Olive.)

Brendan is a volunteer guide for the Seattle Architecture Foundation and an occasional repeat photographer, and hopes to match up several other buildings on the hill with their historic photos over the Summer. He’s giving SAF’s Pike/Pine walking tour this weekend, all about Pike/Pine’s history as Seattle’s original auto dealership row. SAF also have a Gay Pioneer  Square walking tour this weekend, about gay life in Seattle before it moved to the hill.

UPDATE 4/29/2014: CHS has agreed to allow Mario Villegas to provide the following statement on his role in the situation at Meza Latin Fare. It is presented without alterations.

Statement by Mario Villegas:

I have submitted this statement to clear my name of any involvement with the alleged criminal activity at Meza Latin Fare, as substantiated by King County court records, and to ensure this will no longer damage my reputation and clean record.

In the summer of 2011, CHS reported on alleged trafficking in stolen goods connected with Capitol Hill restaurant Meza Latin Fare. (See article below.) Restaurant founder Alex Meza told CHS that he had nothing to do with the activity police were investigating. Instead, Meza blamed me, who the article said was the new owner of the restaurant.

While I was investigated by the police, I was never charged with any crime. Instead, it was Alex Meza – under the name Luis Alejandro Meza – who ultimately confessed to the crime and pleaded guilty to second degree attempted trafficking of stolen property in March of 2012.

According to court records, Meza admitted to attempting to dispose of property stolen from an area supermarket, and entered a guilty plea on March 29, 2012 of attempted trafficking of stolen property in the second degree. As part of a deferred sentencing, Meza was ordered to pay a $500 Victim Penalty Assessment and complete 100 community service hours. The police report filed in King County Superior Court accompanying the guilty plea alleges that Meza resold two stolen bottles of Moët champagne during a “buy-back operation” at the 14th Ave restaurant and that Meza provided a “cooperating witness” with a list of items to steal from a QFC.

Here is a reprint of Meza’s handwritten, signed admission from court documents:

I also was not the new owner of the restaurant, as originally reported by CHS. Meza Management Properties LLC, aka Meza Latin Fare, owned and operated the restaurant and held the business license when the events reported by the CHS blog post took place. While I had made an offer to buy the popular 14th Ave business, I had withdraw the offer nearly a week before the police raid at the restaurant on June 21, 2011, due to unfavorable lease terms (the landlord planned to tear down the business space, as occurred in 2013).

A year later, in the summer of 2012, following Meza’s guilty plea to attempted trafficking, Meza’s restaurant suddenly and quietly shut down. Meza has since left Seattle.

The original blog post further stated that the arrest was part of a police investigation into citywide theft rings. In fact, there was no connection between the charges involving Meza and any organized stolen property ring. I was never charged with involvement in, nor was I ever part of, any theft ring.

CHS did not contact me for comment prior to running the story. My business attorney (who had personally witnessed Meza’s arrest) and I contacted CHS several times after the story ran with testimony and public records to refute the allegations. This information has not been published in the Capitol Hill Seattle Blog until now.

Original report: On a gorgeous summer solstice night, not a drop of sangria was served at the normally festive Meza on 14th Ave. In fact, the restaurant, which recently changed hands when founder Alex Meza announced he was moving to Los Angeles to join his plus-size model girlfriend, was closed, empty and dark. Earlier in the day, it had been full of people — but these weren’t customers. Seattle police officers and detectives combed through Meza last Tuesday night and new owner Mario Villegas was booked into King County Jail for investigation of possession of stolen property.

Police say Villegas was caught up in a sprawling investigation into a citywide theft ring involving suspected shoplifting teams and the resale of allegedly stolen goods.

The 41-year-old Villegas has not yet been charged with the crime but authorities say they are requesting charges against Villegas and others hauled in as part of the investigation in a series of busts that went down over the past week culminating in a flurry of arrests Thursday. Our partners at SeattleCrime have more details on the citywide SPD operation here.

Police say Villegas was caught selling two stolen bottles of Moet champagne during a “buy-back operation” at the 14th Ave restaurant. According to SPD records, investigating officers watched Villegas steal items from area grocery stores four times in the week leading up to the Tuesday night bust. The report also notes that a “confidential informant” provided additional detail on the trafficking. Cops say they saw Villegas transport the items to his E Yesler home — and sometimes directly to Meza.

What the situation will mean for the restaurant isn’t clear. According to the Washington State Department of Revenue, Meza’s business account was closed as of June 14th, the day of the buy-back operation. No business license comes up in searches of the City of Seattle database for either Meza or Villegas’s corporation, Synergy Spirits. Meza opened on 14th Ave in summer 2009 serving “Latin fare” and tapas under the helm of Alejandro Meza. Synergy recently showed up on the State Liquor Control Board paperwork for the restaurant indicating that reports we’d heard that the restaurant was being sold were true. The former owner Alex Meza had told nearby business owners he would be moving to Southern California following the sale but he has reportedly been at his namesake restaurant this week as it continues to operate on 14th Ave.

UPDATE 6/20/2012: CHS has been contacted by Villegas and informed that he was never charged with a crime in this situation. Villegas said he was not part of a theft ring.

Tim Collins, owner of Tim’s Barber Shop at 407 15th Ave. E., brought his 1929 Ford Model A Roadster in to work the other day, taking the auto for a little spin around the neighborhood.  It’s an infrequent but welcome visitor and Tim gets in early enough to score a parking space right in front of the shop.

He’s taken the car to a number of car shows and plans to drive it down to Reno in August for a big show there, so if you’re planning on getting your haircut, make sure it’s not between August 3-17. 

You may remember that Tim was the victim of a notorious barber pole-stealing operation last year.  Sadly, Tim’s red-white-and-blue pole was never recovered, and he had to buy a new one (pictured here.)

Parking checker at 5th and Cherry, 1961,
uploaded by Seattle Municipal Archives.

The Seattle Department of Transportation has begun rolling out changes that will bring an extra two hours of paid parking to commercial zones across the city. Neighbor Ella found out the hard way that the changes have reached Pike:

Hi there
just thought I would let you know I got a parking ticket last night off of Pike at 7:19PM it appears that paid parking is in affect til 8PM. I spoke with a meter person because I was in shock there was no postings of this and EVERY car on the street had a ticket. I explained that last I heard they were going to start but there was no official start date. I have been looking around online and still cannot locate a official date it went into effect. When I asked where it was posted he pointed at the Pay to Park sign in very small print it says 7AM to 8PM. I drive a scooter and so after wards I cruised up to Broadway I dont see any writing on the Pay to Park signs but be warned…its coming!!! $39 bucks later. I just want people to be aware. 

According to SDOT, it’s not just coming. It’s here.

A representative tells us that the extra two hours of paid parking has already been introduced downtown (including Ella’s experience at 6th and Pike) and is coming to Belltown next:

Part of the parking rate changes that started in March, extending paid parking hours to 8 p.m. for selected neighborhoods has been a block by block effort. Blocks that have been changed have both revised signage on the street and on the pay stations.

The extension of paid parking to 8 p.m. has occurred so far in downtown and crews are now making the changes in Belltown.

Pike/Pine and Broadway’s electronic pay stations will follow in July.

The change is part of an overhaul of Seattle’s paid parking system — here’s the FAQ for the City’s side of things.

Only weeks after announcing one of its most ambitious developments yet, Capitol Hill Housing’s Betsy Hunter says she is leaving the non-profit housing developer to take a job in Oregon. Damn you, Oregon. Damn you.

Here’s the announcement on the move sent out Wednesday by Hunter, CHH’s real estate development head:

Friends – 

I am writing with the news that after 12 great years at Capitol Hill Housing, I am moving forward to pursue a new adventure. 

I am moving to Oregon to work as the Development Director for a small housing authority, offering my skills to enhance their growth.  This is a great move for me personally.  I look forward to the sort of perspective that only change can bring.  I love Seattle and may be back.  But not before I roll up my sleeves and do my best in my new post.

---

I’ve been enriched by the Seattle affordable housing community.  I so appreciate this industry full of smart, creative, ethical people who are our developers, architects, builders, bankers, and hardworking public servants.  And I’ve been so lucky to have worked in the Capitol Hill community with its advocates for everything I value in an urban village: neighborhood character, density, income diversity, and transit.  I will draw every day on the lessons I’ve learned from you in my new work.

CHH has never been stronger.  We have great development capacity, a financially sound organization, and are working toward goals that will make Capitol Hill and Seattle a better place.  I’m proud to be leaving at a time when CHH is set to embrace the future.

I’ll be at CHH through the end of July.  We’ll be hosting a happy hour as the time approaches and will spread the word.  I hope you can stop by. 

Betsy

Betsy Hunter, Chief Real Estate Development Officer

Capitol Hill Housing

CHH recently announced an agreement with the City of Seattle to develop the $38 million 12th Ave Arts mixed-use project on the lot currently home to East Precinct’s SPD parking lot.

In addition — or part and parcel — to her role with CHH, Hunter was active in community development discussions including her work to help shape the Capitol Hill Champion group joint venture between the Hill’s chamber of commerce and its community council. The Champion is working to represent community priorities for the coming development of the Sound Transit light rail station at Broadway and Denny.

It’s challenging to quantify Hunter’s influence on the past decade of development on and around Capitol Hill. Since she joined the group in 1999, Capitol Hill Housing has helped shape many of the largest affordable developments around the neighborhood including the $15 million Broadway Crossing development and the $10 million Pantages Apartments. You can see the roster here. We asked Hunter for some perspective as she prepares to leave Capitol Hill, her home for more than 20 years.

I understand CHH thinks they have plan to replace you but I’m not sure who in the community can help fill the gap? Are there individuals you can name who you think might be able to step up?

This neighborhood is ALL about the community – it’s why I’ve lived here for 20 years.  Political leaders call this a “YIMBY” neighborhood: ‘YES in My Back Yard!’  This is largely because we’ve kept a coalition together that shares a unified vision for our future.  People involved in the CHampion, for example, include residents like Cathy Hillenbrand and Mike Kent, business owners like Chip Ragen and Mike Mariano, and organizational/institutional leaders like Michael Wells and Paul Killpatrick.  How great is that??  We go to the Mayor, to City Council, to the County Executive, to national transportation funders, with one voice.  It’s very powerful, and it’s happening already.

What are you proudest of from your efforts at CHH?

Three main categories:

a.  Preserving existing buildings while increasing the number of apartments affordable to “regular folks” here on the Hill: As you just highlighted yesterday, we restored the Pantages house and built a total of 49 apartments that celebrated the old building.  And at the Holiday Apartments, we bought an ugly old ill-performing building and gave it a major energy and aesthetic makeover.  We didn’t have to tear these buildings down to provide 79 great apartments for people on the Hill.

b.  Partnerships: at Broadway Crossing, we showed a national retailer along with public and private lenders that we could successfully put two users together on a shared piece of land to the benefit of the community and make it cost-efficient.  I think we have lots more opportunities there: with private developers, with SCCC and Seattle U, with major employers.  It’s a great way to develop in our urban village.

c.  Community advocacy: we’ve worked hard at CHH to make sure stakeholders here can gain access to the powers that be.  On 12th Avenue, on Broadway’s TOD site, and most recently with arts leaders at the police lot – we have been helping to ensure that this neighborhood maintains its character, its diversity, its uniqueness.  I’m proud of that.

What do we — Capitol Hill — need to know about how to shape our community going forward? Surely you’ve reached some kind of healthily detached perspective now that you’ve made the decision! Illuminate us!

Keep the faith.  Keep lobbying leaders.  Keep working hard.  This is a great place and it is because of the people who roll up their sleeves to effect change.

The legal battle between a photographer and the creator of some of Capitol Hill most popular, well known and notorious public art is over. In a statement posted to his blog and Facebook account, photographer Mike Hipple announced that the case brought against him by artist Jack Mackie has been settled only days before it was scheduled to go to a jury trial in Federal court.

chacha, originally uploaded by zenobia_joy.

I am writing to let you know that I have settled Jack Mackie’s copyright claim against me. I believe I have good defenses but have come to understand that he has good claims. I also believe now that the financial stakes are such that it is not worth continuing to fight.

I understand Jack Mackie’s ardent desire to protect his copyright in Dance Steps on Broadway. I, too, want to protect my own photography copyrights. Mr. Mackie’s Dance Steps is a Seattle icon and a well known work. I understand why he is so protective. I did not intend to attack his copyright when I took my photo, and I did not realize then that selling a photograph which includes part of a copyrighted public artwork can violate that copyright.

I did not intend, in defending myself in the lawsuit, to attack Mr. Mackie personally. I intend to let this matter go and urge my supporters to do the same.

Specific terms of the settlement were not announced.

Mackie’s case sought payment of his legal fees and monetary damages that would have been determined by the jury. In what would have been a peculiar setting for a Federal trial, the jury would have also possibly made a field trip to Capitol Hill. Mackie’s lawyers did not oppose a request from Hipple’s legal team that the jury be taken to the site of the Dance Steps on Broadway to see the artwork in person.

News of the settlement was sent to CHS without comment from Mackie’s e-mail account. We have asked him for his thoughts on the settlement and will update if we hear back.

The settlement guarantees the case won’t provide any further precedent for future fair use and copyright disputes involving public art. In the meantime, the Steps remain an iconic element of the Broadway streetscape and are regularly featured in photography and video created in the area. Given the outcome of this two-year legal battle, photographers probably won’t stop shooting pictures. They’ll just want to be careful with what they do with them.

Ford Truck vs Vespa in front on the Liquor Store in 12th Ave. Fortunately from eye witnesses the Vespa rider escaped with minor injuries and was taken to Harborview. The Women driver of the Ford was obviously ratteled and was in shock….. She was driving out of the Liquor Store parking garage……